Formation of arrays of planar intestinal crypts possessing a stem/proliferative cell compartment and differentiated cell zone

A human crypt system, comprising:

• a) a basal container comprising a first wall and at least one sidewall extending upwardly from the first wall to define a first well, the first well containing a first cell media;
• b) a luminal container held within the first well of the basal container and comprising:
• i) a second wall traversed by one or more microholes, wherein the distance from a center of one microhole to the center of each adjacent microhole is about 350 micrometers;
• ii) a porous layer comprised of collagen hydrogel overlaying the second wall, wherein the second wall comprises reduced porosity as compared to the porous layer;
• and
• iii) at least one sidewall extending upwardly from the second wall to define a second well, the second well containing a second cell media;
• c) a first human intestinal epithelial cell population formed on a first portion of a surface of the porous layer in a first region above the one or more microholes;
• and
• d) a second human intestinal epithelial cell population different from the first human epithelial cell population and formed on a second portion of the surface of the porous layer in a second region not above the one or more microholes.